Category Archives: Scotland

Outer Hebrides – Barra

Blasdale Home Posted on by

10th May 2024

Today was predicted to be sunny, and it was.  Started off with clouds around the hills, these eventually evaporated. In the morning, we went for a walk towards the North, visiting the cemetery and the beach across the Machair. There was a standing stone in the Machair, which we rudely thought rather small, and insignificant. On the walk we spotted birds, and for the record I have posted sample pictures of them. birds. The Northern Gannets were too far out for good photos, but I do have one with its beak almost touching the water. Seaside cemeteries are very much a feature of the islands, which have no crematorium.

We walked further North to a beach which had warnings of quicksand. This probably was caused by a river and lake on the land side of the beach

Back to the campsite (Borve Camping & Caravan Site), and R was talking with an Irish lad, who told us about the Corncrake, a noisy, highly unmelodious bird which calls for a mate all day and all night. During the day it makes a few croaks every 10 minutes. It is a master of disguise, and though you hear it, you don’t see it. We tried to find the Corncrake. We could hear it but could not see it. 

The owner of the campsite, who is also the postman, gave us the option of moving the van, so we took this up and positioned the van overlooking the sea. This move came about because a group of three were arriving on today’s boat and they would prefer to be together. We now have a prime position overlooking the sea.

I mentioned the owner was the island postman, and he would turn up at the campsite in the post van or his own white van, depending on what he was doing.

We then went for a drive to the north east coast. Saw a plane take off from the beach. The beach is absolutely huge and flat. It supports three runways, used depending on the wind direction. We stalked a few birds.  Drove to a jetty recommended for pictures and photographed some lobster pots.  There were many sheep and lambs walking along the roads, they did have road sense and would amble to the side as you approached in the van.

We also drove to the port at Ardmhòr where we will be leaving the island, just to check out where it was. Very small with a carpark for waiting. A very small jetty for loading cars.

We tried to find a shop in Castlebay. I forgot there was a Co-op and a distillery off the main road. We didn’t find anywhere to purchase food.  We will be back tomorrow to get milk and other provisions.

Back at the campsite we tried again to find the Corncrake. This time we encouraged it with a recording of its call. Out it came, coming towards us, to fend off a competitor male. Yes, we saw it, pictures taken. Not a very glamorous creature.

Sunset was not as good as it should have been.

Birds Photographed:

  • Oyster Catcher
  • Common Gull
  • Northern Gannet
  • Pied Wagtail
  • Arctic Tern
  • Common Sandpiper
  • Black-headed Gull
  • Pied Wheatear
  • Great Northern Diver (aka Loon)
  • Corncrake
Outer Hebrides - Barra
Outer Hebrides - Barra
Outer Hebrides - Barra
Outer Hebrides - Barra
Outer Hebrides - Barra
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Outer Hebrides - Barra
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Outer Hebrides - Barra
Outer Hebrides - Barra
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Outer Hebrides - Barra

Track

Outer Hebrides – Oban to Barra

Blasdale Home Posted on by

9th May 2024

We packed up the van and headed to Oban. Stopped at Tesco to fill up with diesel. Most of the pumps were devoid of diesel.  Only two operating. After filling we drove to the port and parked in the waiting lanes. Left the van and went for a coffee at Costa.  The sea food hut was already doing great business, well before lunch time.

[As an aside, I bought diesel on the mainland believing the island diesel would be expensive. This is not the case, the price of fuel on the islands is generally cheaper than on the mainland. There is some subsidy from the Scottish Government, or rather a reduced tax rate.]

We waited in the van for quite a long time. We seemed to be late boarding the ship. There was another ferry, bound for Mull, which arrived and then left before us.

We eventually left late but arrived pretty much on time. More than five hours on the ship. We ate a Stornoway Black pudding pizza for lunch on the boat. The journey is spectacular, after leaving Oban, and the Isle of Kerrera, you head towards the channel, (Sound of Mull) between mainland Scotland on the North, and the Isle of Mull on the South. There are islands and reefs, with lighthouses guarding the entry. The entry to the channel is also guarded by the spectacular Duart Castle. The image of the castle was very foreboding with the hills in the clouds.

Leaving the Sound of Mull you pass the Ardnamurchan lighthouse into open waters, making your way towards Barra and the port of Castlebay. Coming into Castlebay, you could see sandy white beaches on the port side. The heights of the island were obscured by clouds.

We disembarked and drove straight to the Borve Camping and Caravan Site, and set up the van for our evening meal. The campsite is right on the sea edge. You either parked your van on the edge looking out towards America, or if unlucky you parked one row back. We were unlucky the first night and did not have the sea view. The pitches had all been allocated, and a board with our name and the number of nights was at the entrance to the site and on the pitch. This was in case the owner was not about.

Our camping neighbour stopped to apologise in advance for having to leave at 04:30 the next morning to catch a ferry. The time had been changed dramatically. Interesting chap who we chatted to over drinks and cheese with a Hi-Top VW he’d managed to buy second-hand.

As you can see from the pictures, the weather was not good, there was low lying cloud everywhere, making for some scenic pictures. Who wants boring blue skies!

Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides

Track

Outer Hebrides – Oban

Blasdale Home Posted on by

8th May 2024

Today, the day started cloudy, but with the sun peeking through. We drove into Oban and parked on the quay. We walked over to the ferry terminal and checked on departure times and also checked the sea food shack we’d read about.  Rosemary and I then visited Costa for a coffee, before walking up the hill to take a look over the harbour from McCaig’s Tower & Battery Hill. It was a sharp walk up the hill. Could have parked up here.

Some interesting plants growing in the gardens around here.

Walking down, we stopped at the Oban distillery. Very crowded, did not do the distillery tour. Did not buy any whisky, nothing under £60. R saw a man ask the price of a bottle, he even had his credit card in his hand, was told it was £220, so he quickly put it down.

Went for lunch at the Oban Seafood Hut. (Green Shack). Busy, but we were soon served. I went for langoustine, told they were off, but I did see them being served with the sea food platter, so I went for mussels in garlic sauce, Rosemary chose the scallops. Across the table from us one of the guys was from Australia, complaining about the fact you can’t purchase kippers and smoked goods in Australia. They ate the sea food platter which looked excellent.

Afterwards we headed back, but I decided to go to a tearoom opposite Castle Stalker. Ended up going down a no through road, no turning around and a big f*** off sign.

So back to the campsite.

Went for a walk behind the site. Lovely forest for Douglas Firs. Some huge trees. Many bat boxes were installed on the trees. Unfortunately, part of the pathway was closed because of fallen trees.

Back at the campsite, the rain started as we were having a drink. We sat there under our new sun awning, drinking our pre-prandial drinks, and being very British about the weather. This rain was predicted, and unfortunately the next few days will be like this.  We ate a crab sandwich and prawn sandwich for supper, purchased at the Oban Seafood Hut.  Quite filling and a nice supper.

Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides

Track

Outer Hebrides – Ardkinglas, Dunchraigaig Cairn and Oban

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7th May 2024

We set off from Tebay a little after 8.00.  Weather was lovely at Tebay, sunny. As we drove North towards Glasgow the skies clouded over. Thankfully this was for a brief time, and by the time we reached our first stop, the sky was lovely and blue. So much better taking pictures of flowers in the sunlight at Ardkinglas.

Our first stop was the Ardkinglas Arboretum which includes Champion Trees and a renowned collection of Rhododendrons and Azaleas – particularly suitable for visiting in May and June when in full flower but worth a visit at any time of year. Dramatic views over Loch Fyne, Old Mill on banks of River Fyne which runs through the gardens, Scriptorium and many other unique features.  The garden is on several levels with various terrains to suit a variety of physical abilities and preferences. 

The flowers at Ardkinglas were fabulous. There is scheduled walk of about an hour through woods there and back. The bluebells were spectacular. The site was so enjoyable, we were there for well over two hours. We even saw a red squirrel. climbing up a tree, when, of course, amera was not ready 🙁

To make it interesting for the younger folk, and young at heart, there was a sculpture-type trail.

There was a Poetry Gazebo (the scriptorium) where you could rest, the sign said:

This gazebo is made of Argyll oak and was originally built for the Glasgow Garden festival in 1988. Take a seat and enjoy the view and the sayings included in this scriptorium. They are all centred around trees and are from such diverse poets and authors as Voltaire, Spike Milligan and local author Robin Jenkins.

Some magnificent trees filled the wood, including a rare species (Tsuga mertensania var. jeffreyi) from the US. Discovered in 1851 amongst seedlings of Hemlock being propagated in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh. The seed had come from British Columbia, but no trace of the variety could be found. One hundred years later, trees of the same species were discovered in Washington state.

We also saw what used to be the tallest known tree in Britain, alas overtaken now, There was also ‘Europes Mightiest Tree’, a European silver fir.

On advice from the reception, we headed off to the local ‘Fyne’ Brewery and Tap. Had a pint, and bought a slab of cans for our trip, and then headed onwards.

We dropped the next scheduled garden stop on the shores of Loch Fynn but stopped at some stones, Dunchraigaig Cairn. This stop was short, there was a burial cairn amongst some trees, and a short distance away a number of standing stones surrounded by cows and calves.

We then headed on over to the campsite. at Barcaldine. Unfortunately got stuck behind a truck and trailer, on narrow roads.  So instead of going through Oban, we took a short cut over the hill, which was alas on single track roads. A bit of a slow route, but a learning experience for the oncoming weeks.

At the campsite, R tried to get a pitch with electricity, I had booked no hookup. This failed, despite the manager’s best efforts. So, no problem, and it was not cold at night. Charming site in the walled garden of a once large house.

Walked down to the shore, not friendly because a huge salmon breeding factory was there, complete with “Private Keep Out” notices.  We eventually ended up ignoring the warning signs and made it to the beach.

Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides
Camping Holiday to the Outer Hebrides

Track

Darlston Hall Holiday Park, Golf Club and campsite

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Leaving Inverness at 9.50 we headed off south to stay at a campsite near Carlisle, the Darlston Hall Holiday Park and Golf Club. A five-hour drive with 42 minute stop near Stirling.  Average speed 53.2. The road from the motorway to Darlston Hall competed with Milton Keynes on roundabouts, coming a very credible second.

Darlston Hall has many permanent holiday homes. The campsite does also have touring caravans with many obviously parked over the week for weekend use.  Not many people in residence today.  We took a walk into the village to buy some food, 1.5 mile walk mainly along road.  The village has a butchers and a well stocked CO-OP. The walk back was different, through the church cemetery, around the playing fields and past the Nestle factory. The path continued along the river, until we took a left and headed into the holiday park. The holiday park has a golf course, and the camping fees include use of course.

We ate our meal and went to bed.  The wind was rising and at midnight I closed the pop up roof, good decision as it was raining and very windy in the morning.

11th October

Final drive back home, where we met horrendous rain and wind over the lake district. Windscreen wipers working at maximum. Van battered by winds. The BBC news in the evening, picked out the lake district as having over 20 cms of rain that day.  Further South it all dried out for the rest of the journey home.  Being skin flints, we drove the M6 through Birmingham, not a bad choice, very free flowing traffic, and saved us £11, almost missed the M42 junction.

Inverness at the Hossack institute

Blasdale Home Posted on by

We had arrived in Inverness, parked the van in the hotel carpark, and so went to check in.  Ravi was there with his American friend Roberta and they waited for us to dump our stuff in the room. We were going over to the Hossack institute for a hog roast, by way of the Nip Inn for a quick pint of beer. The pub was so chosen as a favourite of Hughie’s (Maggie’s dad).

The Hossack Institute, is near to Madras Road and India Road.  Maggie was there, and so were the rest of her family.  We were shown around the renovated building and the additional land surrounding the building.  There had been much work renovating the building.  Hog roast was served with salads, beer and wine & rounded off with cheesecake.. There was a rehearsal of bagpipe playing in the garden.  This was played by a Dutch man, a friend of Gordon Hossack, brother of Maggie who was going to have his ashes scattered on Monday

Afterwards we went back to the hotel and rested until dinner at 7.00 where we sat at a table with Ravi and Roberta.

 

9th October

After breakfast, we were ferried (by taxi) down to the end of Kessock Road where Gordon’s ashes and flowers had been placed awaiting the tide to wash them away to Holland.  Bagpipes were played and Tomatin single malt whisky was drunk from a quaich and thrown to the wind.

We walked back to the institute for lunch, by way of Carnac Point.  The afternoon was our own where we visited shops and Inverness Castle.

The evening was a Ceilidh and buffet.  Lots of photographs and videos taken of the event.  Pipe music and speeches made, the dancing started. Beer and several whiskies were drunk. True to Blasdale tradition we were one of the last to leave.

 

 

Scotland and Culzean Castle

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We set off for Scotland on a Friday morning, the intention was to meet friends for a party in Inverness. Our plan was to drive around 6 hours and then stay two nights somewhere and then continue for another 4 hours to arrive in Inverness.  Our planned stopping place was Culzean Castle near to Ayr, a Camping and Caravan site in the Castle grounds.

Off we set, no weekend drivers around and we made very good progress.  Alas we took the expensive decision and went via the M6 Toll road.  How flipping expensive is that, £11, could have done over 100 miles on French toll roads for that price. In France we were treated as a car, in the UK as a van. On we drove continuing at maximum speed until we reached the motorway upgrade.  A few years ago roadworks were kept to no more than 3 miles. This so called intelligent motorway upgrade went on for 10+ miles with average speed cameras, and hardly a person to be seen working.  Oh well, at least we made a reasonable 50mph on that section, and of course Google Navigation knew about this and had already factored it in for our estimated arrival time. 

We stopped off for our own home-made sandwiches (we have to make some savings after the M6 toll fiasco) at the Westmorland Services which has the famous farm shop.  We did buy a Cappuccino, and some posh bread, which turned out to have raisins in it.  (This bread turned out fine as a complement to are pre-prepared evening vegie stews over the next two nights.) Google had not factored in this stop, so we were now behind her schedule.

We continued on our way crossing into Scotland and turned off at J12 towards Ayr. Rather worryingly there were road closed signs on the way we were going. We continued, then more signs with some mentioning the village of Douglas, but we continued. There was hope, vehicles were still coming the other way. Suddenly we saw there was a recovery operation in progress where some vehicle had gone over the edge of the road on a bridge and down into a small valley.  There were a couple of marooned trucks on either side of the recovery. No problem Google sorted us out with a short detour down some single-track roads. We were soon at Culzean Castle after travelling 376 miles at 53mph.

At Culzean Castle campsite, we were greeted by the site manager and were shown various  parking options.  We chose one over-looking the sea and potentially the Isle of Arran.  Yes, it was in view.  Still with some day-light, we took a little walk through the woods and to the National Trust of Scotland road entry to the castle grounds. Back at the campsite we ate our dinner of bread and veggie stew, and took a well-earned drink before going to bed.

7th October

Today we had the entire day to explore the Castle grounds. We walked back to the entry, showed them our NT cards and walked to the castle to get the first tour of the day.  Wow, the flint lock pistol collection was fabulous with more than 750 pistols.  The largest public display of flint lock pistols in the world.  We were explained the history of the place.  Not much sticks in my mind, other than the male line were always called Archibald Kennedy. The top floor of the house was set aside for Eisenhower, who used it during WWII and after when he was president until his death in 1969.  The floor is now set aside as the Roosevelt Hotel.

The park is huge and we spent several hours exploring the lake and various paths through the site.  We ended up for scones, jam and tea at the visitor centre.  Our walk back to the campsite was met by a stream of cars and taxis arriving for a wedding which was due to take place that evening.

Our humble evening meal over, I went out to photograph the entry gates to the park.  There were some nice steel lighted balls which deserved a picture, and a fabulous gateway from the public road which looked good in the dark.

8th October

Up early, packed away, we set off from Culzean at 7:39, stopping at the Electric Brae to try and figure out whether the road sloped one way or the other.  Wasn’t total impressed, but the real slope was in the opposite direction to the perceived eye view of the slope. I think the picture proves this, then I am taking it for granted that the plaque was not misrepresenting the heights.  We arrived at Inverness in a few minutes less than the predicted 4 hours given by Google.  One overriding thought about Scottish roads are the number of average speed cameras on the A9, the number of flashing signs in villages for speed, and the pervasive 20 mph zones in villages and towns.

Trip to the Orkney and Shetland Islands, plus Edinburgh for the fringe

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Rosemary and I have been back from our holiday in the Orkney and Shetland Islands where we were immersed in Archeology for over a week.  Following this week, we spent another week in Edinburgh sampling the Edinburgh fringe.  If you are remotely interested a full write up and immense gallery of pictures are located on the main pages of the website.  Click here to be impressed.

On our way to the Shetland Isles

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We have had hectic days looking at tombs, stone circles and brochs, mixed in with eating and drinking.

The weather has been reasonable,  no rain and lots of sunshine, even getting passably warm. The hotel we stayed at was on the Harbour front, and we did well with a great view of the boats. Only down side were the boy racers who insisted on driving up and down the harbour road at 1am with their tuned exhaust pipes.

So on Wednesday we saw Maes Howe, Stones of Stenness, Ring of Brodgar, Barnhouse and a real live excavation in progress at the Ness of Brodgar. The Ness of Brodgar is so large it dwarves the World Heritage site at Skara Brae.

Thursday had us visiting the Island of Rousay by ferry. Before leaving we saw Betty’s Reading Room at the ferry terminal.

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Betty's Reading Room

Another picture of Betty’s Reading Room. The place is full of books to be borrowed.

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Betty's Reading Room

We circled the island twice because the the coach could not turn around. We saw the Midhowe Chambered Tomb and the Midhowe Broch. After lunch at the Pier we entered the Taversoe Tuick double chambered tomb.

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Ferry terminal on the Island of Rousay.

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Taversoe Tuick. Notice the cloudless blue skies of Scotland and the Orkneys.

Friday is our last day of this section in Orkney, we are back for a couple more after our four days in Shetland. We went off early to Skara Brae, a world heritage site. You cannot walk through the habitations now. Instead you view them from the sides and visit a reconstruction of the best house. This house was remarkable in its size and could easily accommodate the whole group of us. As well as seeing Skara Brae we also walked around the local Laird’s house, Skaill House. On display in the dining room was Captain Cook’s dinner service. This was for payment for lodging of a few officers in the house when the expedition returned, after Cook’s death, and was stuck in the Orkneys for weeks.

After this visit we drove to nearby Marwick Head, a cliff where the Kitchener’s Memorial tower stands over the cliffs. Actually we did not walk to the tower but instead bird watched, seeing a few Puffins fly in, Guillemots, Fulmers, Kittiwakes. Rosemary was shown a rare orchid, a frog orchid. Picture to come.

Lunch next, at the Merkister Hotel, where Jeremy Paxman had very recently stayed while researching Kitchener. We had a  ploughman’s with no bread, but chips and boiled potatoes!!!!! It transpired our leaders had asked for bread and been told they had none. A little while later, however, we were offered rolls. Rolls are not considered bread in Scotland.

Finally a drive to see yet another broch, Gurness Broch; a remarkable multi-storey building with lots of dwellings outside the main broch.

Afterwards we made our way to the airport for the flight to the Shetlands. Predictably the flight was late, something to do with passengers on the incoming flight from Inverness not wanting to fly because of the fog. Anyway we have taken off, but the pilot does not sound confident about us landing. FlyMayBee did land on the Shetlands, and first attempt as well. We made it to the hotel for supper and a nightcap.

Kirkwall walking

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Today was a walking tour of Kirkwall. Day was lovely sunny and warm with a light breeze. We started off by Saint Olaf’s gate.

St Olaf's Gate

St Olaf’s Gate

Then walked to The Cathedral built by the Vikings. The Cathedral run by the council is now secular but still banned a humanist wedding!!!

On to the Earls house, which is a ruin and then the Bishops house also a ruin.

Earls House

Earls House

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Earls House

We all then went on to lunch which was rather a time consuming affair, taking rather too long to prepare the main courses for us all. The afternoon was spent visiting the museum where the had a  display from the archaeological digs in Orkney.

The late afternoon was sunny, though with some cloud coming in. Hope to take some spectacular sunset, late evening photographs.